1. Field of Invention
This invention pertains generally to medical instruments and, more particularly, to an endoscope for examining internal cavities and hollow organs of the human body.
2. Related Art
Endoscopes of the type commonly employed in urological applications have fixed viewing angles, with a different instrument being required for each angle desired (e.g., 90.degree., 70.degree., 45.degree., 30.degree. or 0.degree. relative to the axis of the instrument). The need to change instruments during a medical examination or surgical procedure in order to view different regions within a patient is both inconvenient for the doctor and uncomfortable for the patient, and there is always a possibility that an area of interest may be missed when the instruments are changed.